You’ve probably seen “We Proudly Serve Starbucks” signage somewhere: a hotel lobby, a hospital cafeteria, a corporate breakroom. What you’re looking at is a formal coffee program for businesses administered through Nestlé’s global partnership with Starbucks, and it’s a different arrangement entirely from opening a licensed Starbucks location.
If you’re wondering whether your property could carry that same program, this guide walks through exactly what it requires: who’s eligible, what the setup involves, and what it takes to get one running in Colorado.
What Is the We Proudly Serve Starbucks Program?
We Proudly Serve Starbucks is a formal B2B licensing arrangement between Nestlé and Starbucks, launched in 2018 under the Nestlé-Starbucks Global Coffee Alliance. It lets qualifying foodservice locations serve authentic Starbucks coffee beverages under Starbucks brand standards, without operating a licensed Starbucks retail store.
Who’s eligible: Hotels, hospitals, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, corporate offices, and universities can all participate. These are non-traditional Starbucks locations, meaning they’re not Starbucks-owned or Starbucks-franchised. Instead, the location sources Starbucks product through an authorized distribution partner, uses approved equipment, and follows Starbucks standards for preparation and presentation.
Who administers it: Nestlé runs the program, not Starbucks directly. Foodservice operators apply and operate through Nestlé’s authorized channel, which includes designated placement partners in each region.
How Is This Different from a Licensed Starbucks Store?
A licensed Starbucks store and a We Proudly Serve location are structurally different arrangements, not two tiers of the same thing.
A licensed Starbucks store operates under a retail license issued by Starbucks directly. You’ll find these in airports, Target locations, and some hotel lobbies. They use Starbucks POS systems, sell the full consumer menu including Reserve products, and support app-integrated ordering. They negotiate a retail licensing fee with Starbucks corporate and build out a dedicated Starbucks store environment.
A We Proudly Serve location is not a Starbucks store. It’s a foodservice supply arrangement. The menu is curated to the program’s foodservice offering: espresso drinks, brewed coffee, and Frappuccino beverages. App ordering, Reserve products, and the full consumer menu are not part of the program. Pricing, staffing decisions, and the broader menu remain entirely the location’s own.
The operational bar is materially lower than a Starbucks-licensed store. There’s no retail licensing negotiation with Starbucks corporate, no dedicated Starbucks store buildout, and no full Starbucks POS integration required. For hotels, healthcare facilities, and offices, that distinction makes the program achievable where a licensed Starbucks program would not be.
What’s Included: Equipment and Service Format Options
The program offers three formats. Choosing between them is an operational decision with direct implications for staffing, equipment investment, and available space.
Served (Handcrafted/Espresso)
A staffed service point where employees prepare espresso drinks and blended Starbucks coffee beverages using Starbucks-approved espresso equipment. The Mastrena espresso machine is the documented approved espresso platform for this format. This option fits hotels with active F&B service and hospital cafeterias with dedicated cafeteria staff. It delivers the fullest range of Starbucks menu offerings but requires barista-capable staff on the floor during service hours.
Self-Served (Bean-to-Cup)
A premium self-serve machine that lets guests or employees dispense Starbucks brewed coffee and specialty beverages without a barista present. This is the right fit for hotel lobbies, corporate breakrooms, healthcare waiting areas, and office pantries.
It’s also where Denver Beverage’s expertise in coffee brewing equipment connects directly: equipment selection, installation, and ongoing service are all part of what an authorized placement partner handles. This format requires minimal staff involvement and no barista training.
Inline/Brewed
Freshly brewed filter coffee served through an existing service station. Lower equipment investment than the espresso or bean-to-cup options. Best suited for locations where continuous-brew volume is steady and on-demand preparation isn’t required. Common in healthcare dining rooms and hotel banquet service.
Choosing the right format means weighing your staffing model, physical footprint, and expected daily volume before committing. That’s a conversation, not a product sheet.
Who Qualifies?
Program requirements and eligibility are defined by Nestlé and cover four main business types: hotels, healthcare facilities (hospitals, skilled nursing, assisted living, and independent living), corporate offices, and universities. Not every business type qualifies. Nestlé evaluates location type, volume potential, and whether an authorized distribution partner is already in place before approving a location.
That partner relationship isn’t optional. You can’t sign up directly through Nestlé’s website, the application runs through an authorized placement partner who sets up the supply arrangement, handles the equipment, and maintains the account going forward.
In Colorado, that partner is Denver Beverage. The hotels, healthcare facilities, and offices Denver Beverage already supports across the Front Range through its hotel beverage and supply services, office coffee service, and healthcare beverage programs are the same verticals the We Proudly Serve program is built for.
What Does It Cost?
Pricing for the We Proudly Serve Starbucks program is not publicly listed, and there’s a real reason for that: no single number could account for your format choice, whether you lease or purchase equipment, your location’s volume commitments, and which authorized partner is placing the program. A flat fee posted online would be wrong for almost every property that read it.
That’s exactly why the honest answer serves you better than a made-up one. A generic figure might feel more reassuring at first glance, but it wouldn’t hold up once your actual format, equipment, and volume were factored in. The step that actually gets you a number that means something is a direct conversation with Denver Beverage, who can quote your Colorado location based on what your facility actually needs.
Training and Brand Standards
Self-serve and inline formats carry minimal staff training requirements, so this only matters if you’re weighing the espresso format. In that case, the training timeline needs to be part of your rollout plan from day one, not something you figure out after the equipment arrives. Denver Beverage walks Colorado locations through exactly that kind of planning before installation starts, not as an afterthought.
How to Get the Program in Colorado
In Colorado, becoming a We Proudly Serve location means working with Denver Beverage as the authorized placement partner, rather than applying through Nestlé’s website directly. From there, equipment selection, installation, and ongoing service run across the Front Range, and product supply reaches hotels, healthcare facilities, and offices statewide.
What the program looks like depends on where you sit:
- Hotels: the program connects directly to your lobby and meeting-room coffee service.
- Offices: it’s a premium breakroom upgrade.
- Skilled nursing and assisted living facilities: it’s a cafeteria and lounge offering that your residents will notice.
Knowing how to apply for We Proudly Serve starts with one conversation with a Colorado-based partner who can assess your format fit and walk you through next steps.
Start the We Proudly Serve Conversation
Every property’s format, equipment needs, and volume commitments look different, and that’s exactly what a real conversation with Denver Beverage sorts out. Talk to Denver Beverage to find out what a We Proudly Serve program would look like for your Colorado location.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the We Proudly Serve Starbucks program?
We Proudly Serve Starbucks is a Nestlé-administered licensing arrangement that lets qualifying foodservice locations serve Starbucks coffee beverages without operating a licensed Starbucks retail store. Eligible venue types include hotels, healthcare facilities, corporate offices, and universities. The program runs through authorized placement partners, not through Starbucks corporate directly.
How is a We Proudly Serve location different from a regular Starbucks?
A We Proudly Serve location is not a Starbucks store. It serves a curated Starbucks foodservice menu through approved equipment and a supply agreement with Nestlé, while a licensed Starbucks store operates under a retail license, uses Starbucks POS, and sells the complete consumer menu, including app ordering and Reserve products. The two arrangements are structurally different.
What training is required for staff at We Proudly Serve locations?
Training requirements depend on the format. Handcrafted and espresso locations must follow Starbucks brand standards for preparation and complete training on the approved espresso equipment, provided through Nestlé and the authorized placement partner. Self-serve and inline format locations carry minimal staff training requirements.
How do I apply to become a We Proudly Serve location in Colorado?
Applying means working through an authorized placement partner, not through Nestlé directly. In Colorado, Denver Beverage handles the program placement, equipment setup, and ongoing service. The process starts with a conversation to assess your location’s format fit and volume potential.
How much does the We Proudly Serve Starbucks program cost?
Pricing isn’t publicly listed. Cost varies by the format selected, whether equipment is leased or purchased, and your location’s volume. A Colorado-based authorized partner can give you a real quote based on your specific situation, and any partner who quotes a flat fee without knowing your setup should be asked how they arrived at it.
